Scientists Discover That Turning Off Key Enzyme in Immune Cells Prevents Obesity and Diabetes
Researchers have found that disabling the enzyme CaMKK2 in immune cells — an enzyme responsible for triggering inflammatory processes — can prevent diet-induced obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency, cited by BTA.
A press release from Monash University in Australia explains that CaMKK2 regulates how cells and the body as a whole use energy, while also controlling inflammation through macrophages, the immune cells located in tissues.
An international team of scientists from Australia and the United States discovered that mice genetically modified to lack CaMKK2 in their macrophages were protected from the harmful effects of high-fat diets — including obesity and other metabolic disorders.
“Our research shows that CaMKK2 is a crucial regulator of how macrophages influence metabolism and inflammation,” said Dr. John Scott, lead author from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
He added that when the CaMKK2 gene is removed from specific immune cells, the fat tissue functions in a much healthier way. Genes in the tissue activate in a manner that enhances metabolism and reduces harmful inflammation.
The study, published in the journal Molecular Metabolism, concludes that CaMKK2 directly controls immune cell activity and overall metabolism, identifying it as a promising new therapeutic target for treating obesity and related metabolic disorders.